their children, seruauntes, and frendes made secretely where they durst, for that they founde euerye where wordes of discomfort, and no where of comfort, but stil inquisition was made.

THe foresayd William Steuens after his returne from London aboue mencioned, besides manye other articles layd to him for religion, to the number of 40. or well nye, was by the lord Deputie charged that he had stayed the foresayd Adam Damlip, hired him to preach, and gaue hym meate, drinke and lodging, comming frō þ^e arrant traitor Cardinall Poole, & suborned by hym: MarginaliaFalse crimes forged agaynst William Steuens.and that he had receiued money of him, to the entent he should preach in Calice false and erroneous doctrine, whereby the towne being deuided and at cōtention within it selfe, might easelye be ouercome and wonne by the Frenchmen. Whereunto the sayde Steuens aūswered, that what soeuer he had done vnto the sayd Adam Damlip, hee had done it at the earnest request & commaundement of the sayd Lord Deputie. Whereupon if it had bene treason in deede, hee must haue bene more faultie. MarginaliaWilliam Steuens committed to the Tower.Then the sayd W. Steuens was againe the second time by the sayd Cōmissioners sent ouer into England, and clapt in the Towre, and afterward, to wit, immediately after the sayd Commissioners repaire vnto the kinges highnes, MarginaliaL. Lisle Deputie of Calice, committed to the Tower.the sayde lord Deputie was sent for ouer, and likewise put into the Tower, where he continued a long time. And when the kinges Maiestye minded to haue ben gracious vnto hym, and to haue let him come forth, God tooke him out of this world, whose bodye resteth in the Tower, & his soule with God, I trust, in heauen, for he dyed very repentant. MarginaliaExāple of Gods punishment vpon hys persecuters.But the wicked lady hys wyfe immediately vpon hys apprehension, fell distraught of minde, and so continued many yeares after  

. God for hys mercy, if she yet liue, geue her his grace to repent.

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MarginaliaBroke committed to prison.The seconde Mondaye after Easter  

, the foresayde Broke was conuented before the Cōmissioners, and committed to close prison in the Mayors Gayle.

Then the Counsell of Calice, doubting lest there shoulde not be any sedition or heresye proued against him, did call one George Bradway before them, who occupied the Controllers office in the custome house. This man was kept in close prison, so as neither hys, wyfe than great with childe, nor any other his friendes might repaire vnto him. Where, after that he had often times bene borne in hand, that there were diuers concealments come to light that were made by Broke in the office of Custome, and that the sayde Bradway should be greuously punished if he wold acknowledge none of them, nor burden the said Broke with no kinde of concealement: the poore simple man, hoping therby to get release of his imprisonment, accused the sayd Broke, that he had for a long time concealed. 4. grotes euery day for his Clarkes wages, and to that accusation they caused the simple man to set hys owne hande before witnesses.

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MarginaliaFalse accusatiō punished by Gods hand.Whereupon after a day or two, the sayde Bradway greued in hys conscience for the same his most vntrue accusation, did with a knife enterprise to cut hys owne throte: but God of his mercye so directed his wicked purpose, that the backe of his knife was towarde hys wesand  

. MarginaliaGods mercy in punishing.Whereby though the wound were broade, yet he escaped wyth lyfe. And as he gaue a grone with the sodaine payne that he felt, the Gailer came vp, and bereft him of the knife. But through the giltines of the false accusation, and shame of the worlde, the man lost hys wyts, who then staring and dismaide was dismissed out of prison, and a long time after went in piteous case so dismayed about the streete, to the great impouerishing of hym, his poore wife and familie.

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This kynd of handlyng of the sayd Broke, made all his frendes, but specially his wife, to be greatly afeard of the malice of his enemies: the rather also, for that all his goodes and landes were ceised, and his wife thrust into the meanest place of all his house, with her childrē and familie, the keyes of all the doores and chestes beside taken from her. Who for that she was rigorously entreated at Sir Edward Ringleis hand, Controller of the towne (an office of no small charge, though hee knew not a B. from a battledoore, nor euer a letter of the booke) saying vnto her, that if shee lyked not the roume, he would thrust her quite out of þ^e doores: well Sir, sayd she, well, the kinges slaughter house had wronge when you were made a gentleman, MarginaliaLetters sent to the Lorde Cromwell from Calice.and with all speede she wrote a letter to þ^e Lorde Cromwell, therein discoursing howe hardly and sore those poore men were handled, that were committed to ward and close prison, and that all mē feared (what through the malice of their Papisticall enemies, and the great rigour and ignorant zeale of those that were in authoritie) they should shortly for their faith and cōsciences, beyng true men, and such as reuerently feared God, be put to death, but chiefly her husband, who was yet more extremely handled then any other: So that, vnles his honour voutchsaued to be a meane to the kings Maiestie, that they with their causes might be sent ouer into England, they were but dead men.

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MarginaliaThe Lorde Cromwells letters to the Commissioners at Calice.Whereupon the sayd Lord Cromwell wrote spedely his letters vnto the Commissioners, declaryng the kynges Maiesties pleasure and commaundemēt was, that the arrant traitour & hereticke Broke, with a dosen or. xx. complices, should with their accusers be immediatelye sent ouer, that here in England they myght receiue their iudgement, & there at Calice to the great terrour of like offenders hereafter, suffer according to their demerites.

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Now by þ^e time that þ^e sayd Cōmissioners had receiued these letters, they had made out preceptes for viij. or. ix. score honest men more to be cast in prison. But these letters so appalled them, that they stayde, and afterward sent no moe to ward. But making then as diligent inquisitiō as was possible, to haue found some worthye matter against those before named, whereby there might haue bene some coulour, both of the Counsells greuous complaintes, and of the Commissioners rigorous dealing, when no such thing could fall out, because they would be assured that they should not go vnpunished, they first banished thē þ^e towne and Marches of Calice with a Trumpet blowne, vnder payne of death, for a hundred yeare & a day (if that one day had ben left out, all had bene marde) and then sent thē backe to prison, staying thē there vpō hope that the lord Cromwell should come into captiuitie sooner then he dyd. MarginaliaThe xiij. prisoners of Calice sent to London.But at last, to wit, on May day, they sent the xiij. prisoners through the market, the sayde Broke going before with irons on his legs, as the chiefe captain, the rest following him, two & two without irons, vnto shipborde, and then were they all coupled in irons two and two together. MarginaliaThe crueltie of a popishe persecuter.Where, because they were lothe to go vnder þ^e hatches, Sir Ioh. Gage with a staffe smote some of thē cruelly. Wherupon Anthony Pickering sayd vnto hym: Sir I beseche you yet be as good vnto vs as you would be to your horses or dogs: let vs haue a litle ayre that we be not smoothered. Yet that request could not be obtained, but the hatches were put downe close, and they garded and kept with a great company of men, and so sayling forward by Gods merciful prouidence, were within. xxiiij. houres at anker before the Tower of London.

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And whē the lord Cromwell vnderstoode they were come, he commaunded their yrons to be smyt of at the Tower wharfe, and the prisoners to be brought vnto hym. When he saw thē he smiled vpon them, stedfastly beholding ech of them, and then sayd: Sirs, you must take payne for a time. MarginaliaThe xiij. prisoners put in the Fleete.Go your waye to the Fleete, and submit your selues prisoners there, and shortly you shall know more. So in deede they did, for that euening he sent them worde they should bee of good chere, for if

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